Draft-equalizer.



PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

G. W. RAYMOND. DRAFT EQUALIZER.

APPLIUATION FILED 11.43.26, 1907.

THE Nonms PETERS ca., wAsHmsmN, D. c.

GEORGE W. RAYMOND, OF MORRIS, ILLINOIS.

DRAFT-EQUALIZER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

Application filed March 25,1907. Serial No. 364,238.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. RAYMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morris, in the county of Grundy and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Draft-Equalizers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of draft-equalizers forming the subject of Letters Patent Number 837,727, granted to me December 4, 1906. Y Draft-equalizers of this type are employed in connection with plows and agricultural machines generally, to avoid side-draft where the line of pull is to one side of the line of greatest resistance; and my invention relates, more particularly, to draft-equalizers where it is desired that the point of attachment with the plow, or the like, shall be at one side of a line midway between the outer draft-animals.

My object is to provide a construction that will be positive in operation and by which equalization of draft may be effected more quickly than by my said former patented construction.

Referring to the accompanying drawings-Figure l is a plan view of my improved equalizer especially adapted for plows, indicating by dotted lines the points at which the doubletrees with swingletrees for four horses, are attached; and Fig. 2, an enlarged broken section taken at the line 2 on Fig. l and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

A lever or main doubletree 4, which may be a steel I bar of the shape shown, is provided with a bolt-opening approximately in the position represented, for a bolt 5, in the nature of a king-bolt, to which a link 6, consisting of upper and lower members, is pivotally secured, a clevis 7 being pivotally secured to the free end of this link. The bolt 5 forms a fulcrum for the lever 4on the short arm of which'lever, in the position shown, is an opening for a bolt 8, and in the outer endportion of which is a series of bolt-openings 9. In a double-tree l is provided, along its central portion, a series of bolt-openings l2 and 13. A center link 14, consisting of upper and lower metal straps, is pivotally connected at one end to the bolt 8 and at its opposite end to a bolt l in one of the openings 1l. An end link 16 is pivotally connected at one end to a bolt I7 in one of the openings 9 and at its opposite end to a bolt 18 in one of the openings 13. The links 14 and 16 tend to hold the bars or eveners 4 and l0 in parallel relation to each other.

A link 19 is pivotally connected at one end to the bolt 5 and at its opposite end to a bolt 20 in one of the openings l2.

Iivotally fastened to the bolt 18 is a draft-attaching link 21 having a bolt-opening in its outer end-portion for attachment to a doubletree 22 carrying the swingletrees 23. An obliquely-disposed draft-animal attaching link 24 is pivotally connected at one end to the bolt 2O and at its opposite end has a pair of parallel bolt-openings through either of which a bolt 25 may be passed for the attachment of a doubletree 26, carrying swingle-trees 27. Between the ends of the link 24 in the position shown is a series of bolt-openings 28. A bar 29 consisting of upper and lower members as shown in Fig. 2 normally extends in a direction oblique to the rod 14, and substantially parallel with the link 24, and is provided with a series of bolt-openings 30 in one endportion at one of which it is pivotally secured to the bolt 5 and in its opposite end it has a series of bolt-openings 31. A bar or connecting medium 32, slightly shorter than the bar 29, likewise extends in a directionoblique to the bar 14, with its outer end provided with an opening to receive a bolt 33 at which it is attached to the bar 29 at one of the openings 31. In the opposite end portion of the bar 32 is a series of bolt-openings 34 for a bolt 35 at which the bar is attached to one ofthe openings 9 in the lever 4.

A clip 36 is pivotally connected to a bolt in one of the openings 28 of' the link 24. In the end of the clip is an opening to receive the threaded shank of a hook 37 adjustably retained therein as by a nut and joinnut (not shown). A chain 38, or other suitable, preferably flexible medium or link connection, is attached at one end to the bolt 33 and at its opposite end to the hook 37.

All the bolt openings described are somewhat larger in diameter than the bolts they receive to admit of slight independent play between the parts at all the joints. l

It will be understood that the object of the equalizer is to cause pairs of draft-animals hitched to the swingletrees 23 and 27, respectively, to exert substantially equal pulling force upon the plow connected at 7 in a manner to avoid side-draft. The doubletree 22 is materially closer to the longitudinal plane of the clevis 6 than the doubletree 26. The pull upon the doubletree 22 through the links 21 and 16 is in a direction which would tend to swing the lever or evener 4 upon the fulcrum 5 and the doubletree or evener l0 upon the fulcrum l5. Forward pull `upon the doubletree 26 would tend to cause -it to swing thel evener 10 upon its fulcrum l5 and the doubletree 4 upon its fulcrum 5. The point of connection 2() being materially further laterally from the point 5 than the point IS, the leverage from that side would be materially greater. This excess of leverage is overcome, however, by causing the link 24 to extend obliquely, as indicated, and in its tendency to straighten, under a pull upon the doubletree 2G, to draw upon the chain 38 against the apex 33 of the triangle formed by the parts 4, 29 and 32'. This compensates for the excess in length of leverage on that side over the other side, and thus produces relation with the link 14; ther'eby overcoming a defect in my said patented construction, in which ,the sidepull on the bar 32 is greater than the pushing force exerted through the barl 19, causing a tendency in the equalizer to shift laterally. Furthermore, by positioning the bars 29 and 32, as shown, equalization oi forward draft is quickly effected, since, the distance through which the lower end of the bar 32, moves toward an imaginary line drawn perpendicularly through the apex 33 is much less .than the ,corresponding bar of my said patented construction moves.

To permit of the use of lighter members, forming the barr 19, I provide a stay-block 39 secured between thei members, as by rivets 40, for the purpose of preventing buckling of the bar 19.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a draft-equalizer, the combination of a lever with means for connecting it at its fulcrum with a plow or other implement, a main doubletree, a center link connectingthe doubletree towards its center' to the said lever' nearl and at one side of the said fulcrum thereof, anv end-link connecting `saiddoubletree and lever near their ends at the oppositeside v of said fulcrum, a bar extendingforward from said lever adjacent to the fulcrum thereof and heldl against independent movement thereon in the direction away from said end-link, a draft-animal-attaching link extending forward from `the said,doubletree adjacent to said` end-link, a second draftfanirnal-attaclring link extending obliquely forward from the opposite end-portion of said doubletree and inclined toward the center' thereof, a piv-' otal linleconnection between said second link and the upper end of said bar, and a link pivotally vconnecting the endeportion of said doubletree adjacent to said second link. directly with the fulcrurn of said lever'.

2. In a draft-equalizer, the combination of alever with means for connecting-,it at its fulcr'nm with a plow or other implement, a main doubletree, a center' link connectingthe doubletree towards its center vto the said lever' near and at one side of the said fulcrurn thereof, an end-link connectingsaid doubletree and lever near their' ends at' the opposite side of said fulcrum, a bar extendingr obliquely forward toward the said end-link from said lever adjacent to the fulcrurn thereof, a link-connection extending between the forward end-portion of said oblique bar and the end-portion of said lever near said end-link and forming with said bar and lever a triangle having two forwardly converging sides, a draft-animalattaching linky extending forward from the said doubletree adjacent to said endlink, a second draft-animalattaehing link extending obliquely forward from the opposite end-portion of said doubletree and inclined toward the center thereof, and a .pivotal link-connection between said second linky and the apex portion of said triangle. l

3. ln a draft-equalizer', the combination of a lever with means for connecting it at its fulcrurn with a plow or other implement, a main doubletree, a center'linkconnecting thedonbletree toward itscenter to the said lever near and at one side of the said fulcrum thereof, an end-link connecting said doubletree and lever near their ends at the opposite side of said fulcrum, a bar extending obliqucly forward toward the end-link from said lever adjacent to the fulcrum thereof.,a link connection extending between the forward end-portion of said obliquebar and the end-portion of said levernear said end-link and forming with said bar and lever a triangle, having two forjwardly converging sides, a*draft-animal-attaching link ex` tending forward from the saiddoubletree adjacent to said end-link, a second dr'aft-anirnal-attaching link extendingr obliquely forward from the opposite end-portion of said doubletree and inclined toward the center thereof, a pivotal link connection between said second link and the apex portion of said triangle and a pivotal link-connection vbetween the end-portion of, said doubletreeadjacent to said second link and the end-portion of said lever'.

4. In a draft-equalizer', the combination of a lever with means for connecting' it at its fulcrum with a plow or K other implement, a main doubletree, a center-link connecting the doubletree toward its center to thesaid lever near and at one side of the said fulcrrnn thereof, an end-link connecting said doubletree and lever', near their ends at the opposite side of said fulcrunr, a bar' extending obliquely forward toward the said end-link from said lever' adjacent to the fulcr'urn thereof, a link-connection extending between the forward end-portions of said oblique bar and the endportion of said lever near said endlink and forining with said bar and lever a triangle, having two for war'dly converging sides, a draft-animal-attaching link extending forward from the said doubletree adjacent to said end-link, a second draft-animabattaclring link extending obliquely forward from the opposite end-portion of said doubletree andr inclined toward the center thereof, and a pivotal link-connection: between said second-link andthe apex portion of said` triangle, the said center'` link, endlink and draft-aninialvattaching links being adjustable lonn gitudinally of the doubletree and the said end-link being also adjustable longitudinally of the lever', for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE` 1V. RAYMOND.

ln the presence of- Alfil. HILLIKER, W. E. VINER. 

